July 4 celebrations aplenty

By Rosemary Arnholt
Posted Thursday, July 3, 2008

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LAPEER COUNTY — Independence Day will spark celebrations from one end of the county to the other.

Downtown Lapeer is the site of the reading of the Declaration of Independence at 9 a.m. Fireworks light up at Lapeer West at dusk.

Hadley’s July Fourth festivities start with an early-bird breakfast at 8 a.m. at township hall followed by the kids’ parade at 10 a.m. and main parade at noon. Both lineups are at the old ball fields on Hadley Road by the fire department. Participants are asked to line up a half hour before the parade. Everyone’s invited to the Lions’ food concession.

Businesses open Friday include the new Ice Cream shop, and La Fleur Décor will host its annual Art & Soul Festival from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tour the gardens, home and garden accents, vendors and artists. Music is part of Art & Soul.

North Branch Days begins today at 5:30 p.m. when the American Legion refreshment tent opens on Beech Street. Catch Liberty DJ with tunes at 7 p.m. Other events include games downtown, and a Truck and Tractor Pull at Lions’ Field at 7:30. Return Friday, July 4, for the July 4 Parade at 11 a.m. followed by games, drawings, contests, Battle of the Bands, the Genesee Ramblers and much more. Don’t forget fireworks at dusk.

Saturday offers a 5K walk/run at 7:30 a.m. at the Orr Museum on Jefferson, children’s parade at 11 a.m., Battle of the Bands at 2 p.m., the Dr. Z band at the beer tent and the Bump and Run at the Lions Field at 7 p.m. Sunday offers the Mason’s Breakfast from 8 a.m.-noon and the Masonic Car Show at the elementary ball fields from 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

A complete schedule of the three-day celebration was included in the June 26 LA VIEW or visit www.viewnewspapers.net/moxie/news/nbdays.shtml.

Otter Lake will also have events on July 4 and 5 with fireworks at dusk on July 4. A list of events is on page one of today’s LA VIEW. — R.A.